Century Quote by Stendhal
“The ordinary procedure of the nineteenth century is that when a powerful and noble personage encounters a man of feeling, he kills, exiles, imprisons or so humiliates him that the other, like a fool, dies of grief.”
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Red and the Black by Stendhal, 1830
Powerful elites often destroy sensitive individuals through exile, imprisonment, or humiliation, causing their emotional death.
In simple terms: The powerful crush the sensitive, leading to their ruin.
Key Takeaway
Beware the abuse of power over the vulnerable.
Themes
power
oppression
vulnerability
social hierarchy
Mood
somber
critical
reflective
Type
philosophical
political
When to use this quote
- political reform
- mental health advocacy
- human rights law
- educational curricula
Key Concepts
authoritarianism
psychological harm
class conflict
Questions to Reflect On
- How does society protect the emotionally fragile?
- What mechanisms can curb elite cruelty?
A Different Perspective
Even when physically alive, emotional destruction can be as lethal as death.
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